Personal digital server pds

Abstract

Personal Digital server (“PDS”) is a unique computer application for the storage, updating, management and sharing of all types of digital media files, including audio, video, images and documents, irrespective of their format. PDS provides users with a single location to store and access, both locally and remotely, all of their digital media. It also provides the user total control of the overall management of these assets.

1 . A system for sharing content between a plurality of computer users, comprising: 
 a central server for initial authorization of said users to participate in said plurality;    at least one first computer, wherein said content is stored; and    at least one second computer, designated as the guest, wherein communication between said first computer and said guest is authorized by a global unique identifier.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said global unique identifier is created by said central server.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said central server distributes said global unique identifier to said first and second computers.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a password used by said second computer to access a computer network, wherein said global unique identifier is different from said password.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said global unique identifier is unique to communications between said first and second computers.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an email address for each computer user, wherein said communication is identified using said second computer user's email address and said global unique identifier.  
     
     
         7 . A method for a new computer user to access content contained within the computer of the owner of said content, comprising the steps of: 
 a. registering said new computer user with a central server;    b. attempting a first access to said owner's computer;    c. receiving from said central server in response to said first attempted access, a global unique identifier, said identifier sent to said owner's computer and said new user's computer;    d. accessing successfully said content from said owner's computer, using said global unique identifier to authorize said access.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said central server receives a communication from said owner's computer to allow said new user to access said content.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said new user registers with said central server by transmitting its email address and a password.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said owner's computer notifies said central server of said first attempted access by transmitting said email address of said new user to said central server before receiving said global unique identifier therefrom.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said central server verifies said email address of said new user's computer before distributing said global unique identifier to said new user and said owner.  
     
     
         12 . A method wherein a computer user, designated as the owner of content, can allow a new computer user to access said content, comprising: 
 a. sending a first communication to said new computer user offering access to said content;    b. sending a second communication to a central server, said server responsible for maintaining a database of authorized users, notifying said server of said offer to said new user;    c. rejecting a first attempt from said new user to access said content;    d. notifying said central server of said rejection;    e. receiving a global unique identifier to be used for all authorized accesses by said new user to said owner from said central server, wherein said central server generates said global unique identifier in response to said notification; and    f. allowing access to said new user only when said access is accompanied by said global unique identifier.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said second communication to said central server and said notification of said rejection to said central server comprise the email address of said new user.  
     
     
         14 . A method for a central server to authorize communication between a computer user, designated as the owner of content and a new computer user, attempting to access said content, comprising: 
 a. receiving a first communication from said owner, authorizing said new user to access said content;    b. recording said authorization in an internal database;    c. receiving a second communication from said owner, notifying said central server that said new user has attempted access to said owner's content;    d. Scanning said database for said new user's authorization; and    e. Communicating a global unique identifier to said existing member and said new user if said new user is authorized within said database.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said first and second communications contain the email address of said new user.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of receiving a communication from said new user, which registers said new user with said central server before said communication of said global unique identifier is permitted.  
     
     
         17 . An efficient method of searching a computer file system for files comprising predetermined content, comprising: 
 a. scanning the directories within said file system to identify files having predetermined files types;    b. checking the filenames of said identified files to insure that said filename contains metadata, said metadata comprising a description of said content; and    c. using embedded tags within said file to obtain said metadata, only if said metadata was not present in said filename.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said predetermined content is media.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said files are stored in a list.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein a list of directories wherein said files are located is generated by and stored within said computer during said search.  
     
     
         21 . An efficient way of updating a list of files in a computer file system, said computer having created a list of directories wherein said files are located, comprising: 
 a. first checking said list of directories for alterations since last said check;    b. rescanning said directory if said alterations are found; and    c. updating said list of files with results from said rescan;    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the order that said directories are checked is based on the likelihood of finding said files in said directory, whereby the directory with the highest said likelihood is checked first.  
     
     
         23 . A method for a first computer user, designated as the owner of content, to notify a plurality of computer users of the availability of said content available for sharing, each of said plurality having authorization to access a subset of the said content, comprising: 
 a. creating an index of said content;    b. updating said index whenever new content is created; and    c. communicating said updated index to said plurality.    
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said communication is authorized by a global unique identifier.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said communicated updated index to each of said plurality contains the subset of said content that each has said authorization to access.  
     
     
         26 . A method for a first computer user to determine the newest content available for sharing on a second computer, wherein said first computer contains an index of said content available on said second computer as of a defined date and time whereby said first computer requests an updated index of said newest content created since said defined date and time.  
     
     
         27 . A method of distributing content from a central server to a plurality of computer users, comprising: 
 a. sending said content from said central server to a first computer of said plurality of computers;    b. sending, from said central server to said first computer, a list of users from said plurality authorized to access said content; and    c. sending said content from said first computer to each user of said plurality identified on said list.    
     
     
         28 . A method for a first computer user, designated the requestor, to find content among a plurality of computer users and a central server responsible for authorizing said users to participate in said plurality, comprising: 
 a. requesting, from each of said plurality, said content, in decreasing order of likelihood that said user possesses said content, until said content is found; and    b. requesting said content from said central server only if said content is not available from said plurality.    
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , whereby the requester uses a first address to communicate with each of said plurality, wherein said requestor requests an updated address for each said user that said requester is unable to establish communication with using said first address.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein said requester requests said updated address from said users of said plurality that said requestor is able to communicate with.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein said requestor uses said updated address to request said content from said previously unreachable user prior to requesting said content from said central server.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein said addresses are IP addresses.  
     
     
         33 . A method to allow access to content on a computer remotely, using a remote access device, whereby an application on said computed reformats and packetizes said content before transmitting to said remote access device.  
     
     
         34 . A method for electronically sharing content on a first computer among a plurality of computer users, whereby said first computer can allow said plurality to borrow said content, comprising: 
 a. rejecting access to said content if said content is currently borrowed; and    b. accepting said access if said content is not borrowed.    
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising: 
 a. maintaining an index of all said content contained on said computer; wherein said index comprises title of said content, and whether said content is currently borrowed;    b. checking said list when one of said plurality attempts to access said content;    c. rejecting said access if said index indicates said content is currently borrowed;    d. accepting said access if said content is not borrowed; and    e. updating said index to denote said content is borrowed after accepting said access.    
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein said content is copyrighted.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein said first user determines a time period for which said content can be borrowed.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein said index further comprises the date that said content was borrowed.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein said index further comprises the date when said borrowing will expire.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 34 , whereby exactly one of said plurality can access said content at a time.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 34 , whereby said content become unusable to said borrower after the period of said borrowing has expired.  
     
     
         42 . A method of encrypting a file so as to allow a first computer user to borrow said file from a second computer user such that said file is only usable by said first computer user from a predetermined time, by adding encrypted metadata denoting wherein said predetermined time expires.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein said second computer user is unable to use said file until said predetermined period expires.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein said metadata further comprises information denoting said first user as the borrower of said file.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein said metadata further comprises information denoting said second user as the owner of said file.  
     
     
         46 . A method of allocating bandwidth among a plurality of computer users accessing content on a first computer comprising: 
 a. gauging optimal bandwidth needed for accessing said content by one user of said plurality;    b. allowing access to said content by said one user if overall available bandwidth exceeds said optimal bandwidth;    c. reducing said overall available bandwidth by said optimal bandwidth if said access is allowed; and    d. rejecting said access to said content if overall available bandwidth is less that said optimal bandwidth.    
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein said optimal bandwidth is determined by sending a test file from said first computer to said accessing user.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein a portion of said overall available bandwidth can be reserved, said portion only available for use by a group of preferred users, to guarantee access to said content by said group of preferred users.  
     
     
         49 . A system for a plurality of computers to share content securely and directly with one another, comprising: 
 a. a first computer,    b. a second computer, said second computer sharing said content with said first computer; and    c. a central server, said server responsible for creating a secure link between said first computer and said second computer.    
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 49 , further comprising a third computer, wherein said central server authorizes said third computer to participate in said plurality.  
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein said first and second computer share said content after said creation of secure link directly without involvement of said central server.